Dr. W. Clarke Wescoe

March 03, 2004|The Morning Call

Dr. W. Clarke Wescoe, 83, the 10th chancellor of the University of Kansas, died Feb. 29 in Mission, Kan. He was the husband of Barbara (Benton) Wescoe, who died in 1998.

He joined the University of Kansas in 1951 as a professor of pharmacology and experimental medicine. One year later at age 32, he was named dean of its School of Medicine, the youngest medical dean in the country at the time. In 1960, he was named chancellor, the youngest in the university's history.

Wescoe and his wife made significant financial contributions to the university and donated 46 gifts of art to the university's Spencer Museum of Art. Two structures on the university's campuses are named in his honor: Wescoe Hall, the humanities building on the main campus in Lawrence, and Wescoe Pavilion at the medical center in Kansas City.

In 1969, Wescoe resigned to become vice president of medical affairs and research for Sterling Drug Inc. and, in 1985, retired as chairman of the board and chief executive officer of the company.

He graduated in 1941 from Muhlenberg College, where he was first in his class and class president. He was a life trustee of Muhlenberg and the college's school for continuing education is named The Wescoe School in his honor.

He graduated from Cornell Medical School in 1944. He then served two years in the Army Medical Corps. He was a physician in New York and then joined the Cornell faculty as an assistant professor of pharmacology.

He was born in Allentown.

He served on many corporate and charitable boards, including Hallmark Cards, Phillips Petroleum Co., the New York Stock Exchange, the Mayo Clinic, the Samuel H. Kress Foundation, the China Medical Board and Irving Trust Co. He also served as a trustee of Columbia University and Cornell Medical School. He was a member of the Century Association.